As some of you already know, I’ve been a fitness enthusiast all my life and I have also been a student of Buddhism for over 15 years. Please do not worry; this is not going to be an article on religion, what it is going to be is myself sharing with you two of Buddha’s wisdoms that can be applied to your fitness, health and everyday life. They are meant to inspire you and appreciate the preciousness of our human life and impermanence. I will begin with “precious human life.” Buddha reminds us that the gift of life is more precious than a wish filling gem or a million dollars. With this philosophy we should not take life for granted and cherish every day we have on this earth. There are also many ways we can take care of this precious gift both physically and mentally. Physically we can mindfully eat quality whole foods and eliminate the junk and processed food. Ok what are quality whole foods you ask? I am talking about eating 2 servings of organic fruits and vegetables with every meal. Staying away from white flour products, choose their healthy alternatives like lean proteins, whole grains, and vegetables. Secondly we need to exercise, not just walking, although it is better than nothing, I am talking about resistance training. Resistance training will build muscle and tone you, in addition to building bone. This doesn’t mean you have to train with heavy weights; you can use resistance tubing, light dumbbells, medicine balls and even a bag of rice. The key here is a little more of a “load” than what your body is used to; this will give the body more added stress to build back stronger. Lastly we need to get our mind right, this can be done through meditation. I recommend first thing in the morning to help set your intention for the day and have a clear focus. Find a quiet space, sit in a way that is comfortable, have your spine erect (shoulders over hips) and concentrate on your breath. Be mindful of your in and out breaths, if a thought comes to your mind, just “tag” it, give it a name, and go back to concentrating on your breath. There are many variations of meditation; there are many apps that have good guided meditations. I just walked you through a basic breathing one to get you started. Following the three points I just explained you will be on your way to preserving this gift of precious human life.
The second teaching I want to cover is on impermanence. In Buddhism, impermanence is often taught with the subject of death. I know as westerners we are not comfortable talking about our own death, but please hear me out. Trust me, I was in the same boat. I thought it would jinx me or something. As I studied the topic, it began to make more sense. There are two truths about death: one is that we are going to die, and two we have no idea when that time will come. It could be tomorrow or many years from now. So realistically everyday could be your last. With that said, how would you act differently if you had a certain amount of time to live? Would you be nicer to family and the people you meet? Would you let the little things upset you? How about doing the work you really love and answering your true calling? Do you know your purpose? The Buddha’s teaching on impermanence isn’t meant to be morbid, but to inspire you to live your life to the fullest, be kind to your fellow man, not take things for granted, and finally stop procrastinating.
In closing, I know what you are thinking: first, he tells us how to preserve this human life, and then he tells us we can die at any time. What I hope you get from this is inspiration to take care of the body you have and to live the life you have always wanted. I will finish with a quote from the Buddha: “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth- not going all the way, and not starting.” Now go live YOUR life.
bigbuddhawellness.com 